


Strangers For Now

by Stormdragon16



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-26 00:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6216553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormdragon16/pseuds/Stormdragon16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhys' feelings on college are mixed, especially since he was accepted to one of the most prestigious schools in Pandora, Helios University. When he comes face to face with a charming student by the name of Jack, will his college experience go smoothly, or become even more arduous than he thought it might be?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on Fanfiction.net under the same username, andI willl try to update both versions at the same time. Thanks for reading, and feel free to check out my profile on that site, too.

To say that Rhys was nervous was an understatement. As he stood on that stage, high school diploma in hand, Rhys couldn't help but think about his now forseeable future. He shook, skin clammy and cold. The last time he had felt this nervous was when he came out of the closet to his parents, and even that hadn't made him shake this much. He never really was good at acclimating to new circumstances and unfamiliar surroundings.

This circumstance, however, was one that needed to be faced: College.

~~~

"Good luck hun! We'll call you when we get home, you gotta tell us all about your first day!" Rhys' mother showered his face with kisses as he squirmed under her ministrations. Groaning, Rhys signaled his father to shove her off, clenching and un-clenching his skinned fist.

Chuckling lightly, Rhys' father gently pried his wife off of their son. "Well, it's time for us to be off." He stuck his hand out to Rhys, eyes twinkling gently. "Good luck out there, champ." Rhys shook his fathers hand, too choked up to say anything, merely giving a curt nod in response.

Rhys watched his parents drift across the college courtyard toward their car. He was sad to see them go but Rhys, being the typical teenage boy, tried not to show any emotion. He failed, of course. Wiping the tears from his face, Rhys shouldered his bags and faced the gates of his new school.

~~~

To be honest, Rhys had applied to Hyperion University as a joke. Never had he thought that he would get in. So, when that fateful acceptance letter came in the mail, Rhys knew he couldn't refuse. This had been his dream school since he was a young boy. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards his dorm building, map of the school grounds clutched nervously in his metal hand.

Stepping into his already unlocked dorm room, Rhys looked around. One side of the room had already been claimed, as evidenced by the green bed spread and various belongings strewn about. He walked to the unoccupied side of the room, setting down his bags on the twin sized bed. Rhys really had been pampered at home, having a king sized bed all to himself. 'Well, this is college, not a five star resort. I'll just have to deal with it.' He thought sullenly to himself, already missing his home.

'No, you gotta stop thinking like that! This'll be fun...' He thought. Sighing, he started to unpack his things. He didn't get very far before he heard someone knocking on the door frame, making him look up from his things.

Standing in the door way was a short brown haired man with a brown goatee. He was wearing jeans and a green t-shirt, with some weird kind of black vest over top. Waving a hand, the shorter man made his way into the room. "Hey, what's up man? I'm Vaughn."Ever the polite person, Rhys stuck out his hand, a small smile on his face.

"Hey, I'm Rhys. Well, I guess you're my roommate?" H questioned, the shorter man nodding in response. "Yeah, I hope it's okay that I already picked my side of the room, we can switch if you want?" Shaking his head, Rhys turned back towards his stuff, planning to unpack while they talked.

At least that's what he hoped would happen. Instead, every time either of them went to say something, they would stumble, stop, and go back to their own words. Even though it was awkward, it made Rhys happy, knowing that his roommate was as socially awkward as he was.

After a few more minutes of this awkward routine, Rhys cleared his throat, planning on actually getting a sentence out this time. "So...what's your major?" He turned towards Vaughn.

Smiling, Vaughn adjusted his glasses before speaking. "I'm actually a computer science major with a minor in accounting. You?"

"I'm double majoring in business and robotics." Vaughn raised his eyebrows. "Robotics? That's awesome! What made you want to get into that?" It was then that Rhys realized that his roommate hadn't noticed his metal arm, which was hidden by his sweatshirt.

"Oh, gimme a sec-" Rhys said before taking off his sweatshirt, revealing a plain black t-shirt underneath. He flexed his metal arm, sticking it out for Vaughn to look at. The shorter man gasped, mouth hung open in shock.

"Oh wow, that's so cool! It looks so high tech, do you mind if I touch it?" Vaughn spoke a mile a minute, Rhys giggling at his friends awe. "Yes, you can touch it. Just don't press the lights around the elbow." Rhys instructed, moving closer so that Vaughn could inspect his arm even closer.

Tentatively placing his hands on the cool metal, Vaughn ran his hand up and down the appendage, oohing and ahing the entire time. "I've never seen a prosthetic this advanced before! Do you mind me asking what happened?" Rhys raised his eyebrows, impressed by Vaughn's courage. most people felt too uncomfortable asking or even mentioning the arm.

"It was... an accident. A car accident." Rhys said quietly, while Vaughn paused his investigation of the arm. The shorter man timidly looked at his friend, suddenly at a loss of words. Rhys continued.

"I was only ten. I was in the car with my parents, going through a four way intersection. all of a sudden, a car slammed into the side of our car. My parents were okay but... well, I think you can guess what happened to me." Rhys finished, chuckling nervously. He hoped he hadn't scared his roommate, and probably only friend.

"That's... that's heavy, man."Rhys nodded in agreement, and once again there was silence between the two. "At least it looks bad ass." Vaughn said, effectively breaking the tension in the room. Rhys laughed, shoulders shaking as he did.

~~~

After both had set their things up in their dorm, the boys had agreed to go get a coffee to get to know each other better. Vaughn was excited that he had made a friend so quickly, especially one so like minded.

Rhys, well, Rhys was just generally excited about coffee.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for another chapter! For Jack's personality, he's as much of a smarmy asshole as usual, just without the homicidal tendencies. I hope you enjoy!

Rhys and Vaughn entered the cozy cafe, named Atlas Grind. It was spacious, with overstuffed couches and chairs scattered about, almost all of them occupied by college students. The cafe was found on the schools campus, so it was a popular spot for students wanting to escape their dorms, energize with some caffeine, or use the free wifi.

The boys walked in, getting in the long line at the counter. Rhys let his eyes wander as Vaughn spoke animatedly, using his hands for emphasis. There were clumps of students around, speaking to each other in low murmuring voices. Watching the kids who sat by themselves, hyped up on coffee whilst tapping away at a laptop, Rhys knew that that would probably be him.

He say Vaughn looking up at him quizzically out of his peripheral vision, realizing too late that the shorter man had asked him a question. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

Vaughn adjusted him glasses. "I asked if you became friends with anyone else at orientation?" Rhys' face reddened, looking at his shuffling feet. "No, I uh- I didn't really talk to anyone... I kind of like to keep to myself in large crowds."

Rhys felt a hand pat his shoulder, and looked to Vaughn, who was on his tiptoes to reach his friends shoulder. "Don't worry about it buddy. I only met someone cause I tripped over them! Maybe I'll find them again sometime." Vaughn spoke, his brow furrowed.

"If I do find them, I should probably apologize for spilling my water all over them." Rhys laughed loudly at his clumsy, nerdy friend, knowing that he would have probably done the same thing. 

~~~

The duo had gotten their drinks and found a booth, Vaughn once again adamantly speaking in between sips of his latte, the only difference being this time Rhys was actively listening.

Well, he was listening, till he heard the bell jingling as someone opened the cafe door. In walked a girl, probably their age, with choppy brown hair adorned by a red streak. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt, a baseball cap covering the majority of her head. Not a second later, he looked back to his friend, eyes wide as he stared towards the door.

"Shit. That's the person I was talking about! The one I spilled my water all over!" Vaughn sputtered, frantically switching between fixing his glasses and his hair. Rhys whipped his head back towards the door, but was surprised to find the girl already striding towards their table. "Uh... Vaughn? She's heading over here."

Vaughn had been mid sip, the shock forcing him to spit out the hot liquid in his mouth. By this time, the girl had already come to stand in front of the boys, eyes piercing and mouth open as if she was about to speak. Before she had the chance, however, Vaughn's air born drink had already flown her way, staining the front of her sweatshirt.

For a moment, none of them said a word. Rhys did start to laugh, struggling to keep his own drink in his mouth. His friend was pale, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. The girl whipped her head between the boys, not sure which one to be more aggravated at. She chose Vaughn.

"Are you kidding me?! This is the second time, and it hasn't even been twenty four hours!" Vaughn shrunk down in his seat, looking towards Rhys for assistance. Rhys was still sputtering with laughter, clutching his sides at the spectacle.

Another moment passed before any one spoke, Rhys' boisterous laughter dying down to a fit of giggles.

"I... I'm s-sorry?" Vaughn questioned, hoping not to anger the girl anymore than he already had. The girl grumbled, sitting down rather harshly next to Rhys, her gaze pointed and accusatory.

"You know, I was just gonna buy a coffee, but you owe me." Vaughn straightened up a bit at her words. "Buy me a coffee and a muffin." Vaughn shrunk again, nodding his head faintly before sliding out of his chair towards the counter.

Rhys had finally calmed himself, taking a sip of his coffee. The bitter, smoky taste helping him regain some semblance of normalcy. "So... what's your name?" He looked towards the girls, who had shed her sweatshirt, dabbing at the stain with a napkin. "I'm Fiona." She grumbled, eyes planted on her sweatshirt.

Blanching sightly at her gruff tone, Rhys awkwardly gave her his name, receiving only a mumbled 'hello' in response. Once more, silence fell. 

Vaughn had returned to the booth, coffee and muffin in hand. Setting them down in front of the now prone Fiona, he slid back into the booth. Fiddling with his glasses, he looked towards the taller man, getting only a shrug in response.

Neither had enough courage to interrupt the girl as she ate. 

~~~

"So, I guess I should actually introduce myself? I'm Fiona." She had finished her food, now holding out her hand to the man across from her. Vaughn took it hesitantly, quietly offering his own name in return.

"I am so sorry for being such a klutz. This is... not the best way to meet people." He offered meekly. She smirked in return. "Listen man, it's okay. I just want you to know, if it happens again, I won't hesitate to pound your face in." Vaughn gulped, and once more Rhys dissolved into a fit of laughter. Suddenly, the air was clear, Rhys and Vaughn finding it easier to make conversation with their new friend.

They learned she was an Archaeology major, causing Rhys to wonder just how many majors the university offered. "I am planning on finding something hella valuable and hella old, selling it to some rich schmuck, and retiring by the age of thirty." Fiona said smugly, the boys looking at each other with indescribable expressions at this statement.

Rhys coughed into his metal hand. "You know, somehow I can't imagine you doing anything else."

After talking for a few more minutes, the trio decided to take a walk around the campus before it got dark out. Rhys led the way out of the cafe, strides long and confident.

At least until he ran into someone when he walked out the door. He stumbled back into Fiona and Vaughn before falling rather ungracefully onto his ass. The stranger was in no better shape, sitting opposite to Rhys on the ground.

Heterochromic eyes met, one air wide in disbelief whilst the other pair was wide in annoyance. "S-sorry man, I didn't see you there." Rhys groaned as he stood, still locking eye contact with the man.

The other man scoffed. "How could you not see me? I was walking in clear as day kiddo." Any confidence that Rhys had built up fizzled out of his, stunned by the harshness of the mans words. Unable to think of anything to say, Rhys stumbled over the words that tumbled out of his mouth.

"Your eyes- they're like mine- I'm Rhys." Smirking, the other man crossed his arms.

"Eager, aren't we tiger? Well, if you're so adamant to know me, my name's Jack. Happy, cupcake?"


	3. Chapter 3

When he was in eighth grade, Rhys had a bully. He was cruel, constantly picking on Rhys, getting all the other kids to ridicule him. Never had Rhys think that he would encounter someone so cruel again, and he hadn't so far.

Well, that was until he met Jack. Then again, he had never met someone that had changed his life as much as he did also. 

~~~

After the awkward- and frankly terrifying- encounter, Vaughn and Fiona had successfully shaken Rhys out of his stupor. He was still a bit out of it. To Rhys' credit, he had never met anyone who had eyes like his, especially someone so gorgeous.

"Pumpkin, I know I'm gorgeous, but could you stop staring?" Jack snapped his fingers in Rhys' face. Blinking, he realized how he had been blankly staring at the other man. "Yeah uh- sorry man." A bemused smile graced Jack's face as he stepped towards the taller man.

"I haven't seen you around before,and I like to know everyone who enters my campus. Are you a new freshman?" Rhys nodded, Vaughn and Fiona looking at each other as they processed Jack's words. "I'm uh... I'm Rhys." He introduced himself, trying to sound calm. In reality, Rhys was melting on the inside, heart beating faster than ever. "Rhys..." Jack said the name slowly, and it was borderline embarrassing how much Rhys enjoyed hearing his own name come from the older mans lips. 

"Hi, not to interrupt whatever is happening here, but what do you mean 'your campus'?" Fiona stepped forward. Jack scoffed, eyes still locked with Rhys'. "My old man is in charge here. That means that technically this entire university is mine." He grinned at the surprised looks on all three teens faces, obviously used to shocking people like this.

His gaze was completely on Rhys', seemingly wanting to take in every details that he could. Rhys darted his tongue out to wet his lips, Jack's eyes following the movement. "Including you, kiddo." Jack whispered so only Rhys could hear.

His heartbeat sped up, unsure whether Jack had really said that, or if he had imagined it. Time seemed to slow as they took each other in, only a cough coming from one of the others snapping them out of their reverie.

Jack glanced once more at Rhys' lips before grinning widely. "Well, this has been fascinating, but I have a large cappuccino with my name on it. Rhysie- can I call you that? Anyway, Rhysie, I hope to see you around." Jack winked, brushing past the group. "Ciao!" 

~~~

Walking around the campus was relaxing, but proved uneventful. The trio mainly entertained themselves by bickering as they walked. "You were acting like puppy with it's master back there, dude." Vaughn laughed at his friend. Rhys' face flushed a bright red, the tint travelling up to the tips of his ears.

"No no I-I wasn't a puppy. It was just surprising, is all." He said defensively, an incredulous look on is face when the other two started to laugh. Fiona slapped a hand on his shoulder, Rhys jolting with with the force of it. "Dude, I haven't seen someone thirstier than you in that moment."

Turning away from the two, he threw his arms into the air only to bring them to his hips a moment later. "I'm not... I'm not thirsty! I barely even know the guy!"He stalked in front of the other two, temper flaring and face red as a tomato.

Trying to get his mind off of his humiliation, and the gorgeous man he met, Rhys looked around the campus. It really was beautiful, and quite grand, most of the buildings large and made out of marble. The natural flora and fauna of the campus swayed gently in the wind. Rhys took a deep breath in, all the tension releasing from his shoulders. For the first time all day, he felt completely calm.

"Hey bro, do you think you'll bone that dude in our dorm? Warn me before you do! You know, the whole 'sock on the door' drill?" Vaughn yelled out, catching the attention of a few passerby. Rhys shoulders became taut as he whipped around, furiously watching Vaughn and Fiona lean against each other as they laughed.

"You guys suck!" 

~~~

Sunlight streamed in the window, hitting Rhys' eyes. He groaned, burrowing deeper into his blankets to avoid the dreaded sunlight. A few minutes passed, and finally Rhys admitted defeat. He had to go to class anyway.

A few days had passed since the 'coffee shop incident' (Rhys was too embarrassed to call it anything else, especially since he made a fool of himself in front of that handsome stranger.) He hadn't been able to get Jack out of his mind. This frustrated him, as he barley even knew the other man!

Rhys leapt from his bed, not wanting to be late on his first day of classes. 

~~~

The tall man walked into the large lab that would be his robotics class. Rhys was beyond excited for this class, sure that nothing could dampen his mood. He soon found a seat, opening his backpack to take out a notebook while he waited for class to start. There were a few other students in the room, most notably a girl with bright red hair, and a boy whose face was covered with a hood.

Oh, and there was a kid there, too. She sat on the table in front of his, short legs swinging as they dangled. She had short blonde hair with pink ribbons tying various parts of the hair into pigtails.

Rhys sat staring, slack jawed. 'Why is there a kid here? She can't be much older than 13!' He thought, mind whirring as he tried to come up with some explanation as to why there was a child in his robotics class.

Before he could work up the courage to find out what the hell was going on, a short man covered in grease skidded into the large room.

"Hey, what's up? I'm your teach, you can jus' call me Scooter!" The man excitedly said, looking around with a goofy smile on his face. He pantomimed finger guns, 'shooting' them at various students, including Rhys. Actually, he seemed intently focused on Rhys.

"Woah! That's one arm you got there!" Scooter yelled, pointing toward where Rhys sat. All eyes instantly turned towards him, Rhys' face going beet red at the attention. "Do you mind if I touch it?!" He asked as he bounded over, hands hovering over said arm.

"G-go ahead." Scooter lit up as he immediately went to work inspecting every inch of the arm, muttering and exclaiming every once in a while. This continued for a minute or two, before Scooter came to his senses. He stepped away, coughing awkwardly.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Anyway, I guess we should get started!" 

~~~

Jack walked into the administration building, giving tight lipped smiles to all the secretary's he passed. He bounded up the stairs to the top floor office, face set in a light scowl.

"Pops, I coming in!" He yelled out as he knocked once, then opened the door to his fathers office. No one was inside, much to Jack's delight. The less he had to deal with his father, the better. It's not like he hated the old man, he just didn't like his constant nagging.

Jack went to work flipping through files, brow furrowed. He searched for a few minutes, growing frustrated as the time passed. "C'mon, dammit!"

Just as he was about to give up, he found the file he had been looking for. Whistling, he sauntered over to his fathers desk, sitting back whilst throwing his feet up on the desk. Jack opened the file, gaze carnal as he stared at the photo within.

"Hello, Rhys. Time to learn all about you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry if this seems not that good, I kinda just wanted to get more exposition out of the way. In case you couldn't tell, yes, that was Tina in Rhys' class. I will explain more on that in the next chapter (hopefully). Thanks for reading, feel free to give me any feedback!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Please enjoy this chapter! ALSO: Tiny Tina is super hard to write. Sorry in advance!

"Okay y'all, git to work!" Scooter yelled across the lab. After he had finished inspecting Rhys' arm, Scooter had given them a quick assignment of soldering a small circuit board. It seemed the small man wanted to throw them right into things, which Rhys was fine with. He almost couldn't wait to get his hands moving, though he was quickly distracted.

Scooter had moved on to fawning over the red haired girl, Gaige, who also had a mechanical arm. Compared to his, the arm looked worn, only noticeable if looked directly at. He felt a stab of jealousy as he watched Scooter play around with the metal arm. Ever since the accident that caused him to lose his own arm, Rhys had been self conscious of the brightly colored metal that now hung at his side.

In his experiences, people were always interested in the arm but rarely Rhys himself. He had been ignored too many times, so he chose to not be social. At least, that's what he told himself. Sitting, head in his hands, Rhys eyes were dull as he stared ahead, zoning out a bit. This, he later learned, was a mistake.

As he tuned out the world around him, gaze un-moving from the spot on the wall it had found, a face peered into his, uncomfortably close. Rhys blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Bright blue eyes stared back at his, unwavering and unblinking. "Hey, is you dead? 'Cause if so, can I have your sweet-ass arm? Blink once if 'yes' and punch me in the face if 'no'."

Rhys yelped as he jumped out of his seat, knocking it down in the process. Eyes wide, Rhys whipped his head around, looking to see if anyone noticed him landing on his ass. Luckily, no one did.

Well, except for the kid. "Yo, it's ok, I get it, I'm super scary. Your reaction is normal." The girl quipped as she looked up at him, now fully sitting on his table.

"You... First of all, don't scare me like that!" Rhys started, hand on his chest as he tried to calm his rushing heart. "Second, how are you in this class? You look like you're about twelve years old!"

"Well ex-squeezeeeee me, I wasn't trying to be scary! Maybe you're just jumpy." She crossed her arms. "And for your information, I'm thirteen. Get it right, shitlord." His mouth hung open, a bewildered look overcoming his features. Not only was this kid _young as hell_ , she also had a mouth like a sailor.

"I uh- you... What?" He managed to let the words tumble out of his mouth. The girl, meanwhile, tilted her head, eyes wide in an almost manic way. She watched him struggle with his words for another moment before whipping her head to look behind her. "Damn, son, Scooter's coming this way! Better get to work, you would NOT wanna see him when he gets pissed." She visibly shuddered. "Shit is scary."

* * *

 

Jack's day was shit so far. Not only did he have his two most boring classes (English Lit. and trigonometry, yawn), he also hadn't seen his new obsession since that day at the coffee shop. Now he was just sitting in the library, watching his nerdy brother work on god knows what. Call Jack simple minded (Just kidding, don't do that unless you want to get your face smashed in), but not many things interested him.

Studying? Nah, he didn't need to, he was already pretty smart. Libraries? Too quiet. Dating? What for, no one could live up to his awesome-ness! Jack hadn't encountered one person who had kept his interest for more than a day. Coffee shop boy was a different matter altogether.

Jack liked unique things, and that kid was anything if not unique. The eyes, the arm, the scared-as-shit look on his face as Jack glared at him.

Just thinking about it was enough to put a shit eating smirk on his face. "Wooh, that kid looked like he was about to piss himself!" He cackled, disturbing the others around him. One of the other students glared, making a shushing noise in the twin's direction. Jack flipped them off, smirk growing wider as the student huffed angrily and went back to work

"Jack, maybe the library isn't the best place to... I don't know, be yourself? Yeah, you're way too loud for the library." Jack sighed.

"Oh, they'll get over it." He slapped a hand on his twin's shoulder. "You should get that stick outta your ass and live a little, Tim!" Timothy flinched at his brothers harsh words, all but used to the constant abuse. "Yeah, okay, I'll get the 'stick out of my ass'," Tim air quoted. "As soon as you tell me what's got you so riled up." Jack sobered up, all emotion leaving his face.

"Y'know, it's weird, Tim. I literally only care about three things in life." Tim sighed, getting ready to listen to the speech his brother gave all the time. "Cappuccinos, God bless whoever invented those, am I right?" Jack started to tic off his fingers as he spoke. "You, because even though you're too stiff all the damn time, you're not the worst. Plus, you give me an opportunity to stare at my own _goddamn beautiful_ face without being in front of a mirror 24/7," Tim had started to mouth along to his brothers words. He had heard it so many times he had it memorized.

"And last, but certainly not least, _birds._ I don't know what it is, but predatory birds just get me, y'know? Like I would literally kill to have a pet hawk." Tim put his face in his hands. Even if he agreed with his twin, why did he have to be so weird?

"Yeah Jack, I've heard his spiel a million times- I still think owls are cooler, by the way- but what's the point? It didn't answer my question." His words were impatient, knowing that if he didn't interrupt his brother, he would never stop talking.

"You didn't let me finish, Tim. It's weird, I met this dweeb at some coffee shop the other day and I seriously can't stop thinking about him." Sighing, Tim packed up his stuff as he listened. He wouldn't be able to get any work done now that he had his twin talking. "Did you get his name?"

Jack scoffed. "Yeah, and get ready for this one, he said it was 'Rhys'. _Rhys_? What a dumb ass name, am I right? His parents must've hated him! And I checked his file, it's not a nick name or anything, that's his legal name!" Jack absentmindedly ran a had through his hair, a nervous habit he picked up in high school.

Tim furrowed his brow. "Okay, I'm just gonna ignore the fact that you still go through files that are only supposed to be seen by administration, but enough about his name. Why is he so important?"

"I don't know, Tim! I mean, he has a cool arm," A confused look crossed Tim's face, but Jack continued. "He has eyes like ours, and he looks hilarious when he's scared, but I don't get why I can't stop thinking about him!" Jack finished, his hair mussed up from repeatedly running his fingers through it.

Tim gave him a moment to breathe and settle down, not wanting to get him completely fired up. "Do you maybe have a crush on him?" Jack froze, mouth agape. Tim quickly realized his mistake. Jack would only stay shocked for so long, and as soon as he snapped out of it he would be louder than ever. Timothy stood and gathered his things.

"Jack, let's go get a quick lunch and keep talking about this before you explode." He tugged on his twin's arm, leading the shocked man out of the now peaceful library.

* * *

 

The twins settled down in a bustling cafe, placing their orders before getting back to the topic at hand: Jack's pitiful love life.

"I don't have a crush on the kid, Tim. What do you think I am, 13?" Jack scoffed, arms crossed as he leaned back in his seat. He refused to meet his brothers gaze after he saw the sympathetic look on his face.

"Jack, it's okay if you do, I'm not judging." Tim could see he wasn't getting anywhere. His brother was as stubborn as always, refusing to show any other emotion besides asshole.

Was that an emotion? Tim didn't know, but Jack certainly was one. "UGH!" Jack slammed his flat palms on the table before curling them into tight fists.

"I have so many better things to do than to think of this dweeb. Like finding him!" He stood suddenly. Tim sighed, taking a long sip of his tea. It was supposed to be a calming tea, the kind Tim always drank because Jack always had him so on edge. Honestly, it's like he had a puppy for a twin, or a toddler.

"Jack, sit down. We already ordered and it's your turn to pay, so you're not allowed to run out." The former grumbled, once more slouching in his chair, refusing to meet his brothers gaze.

As his eyes wandered, a flash of blue caught his eye. Jack's mouth dropped open. It was the kid! He had just walked past the front window of the restaurant. This time when Jack stood, Tim had no hope of getting him to sit back down, as he had already bolted out of the building.

* * *

 

"Hey, kiddo! Wait up!" Rhys stopped dead. That voice, it couldn't be! Turning slowly, Rhys' eyes grew. "It's you!"

For the first time all day, Jack sincerely smiled as he came to stand in front of Rhys. "Heya kid."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me way too long to write and publish, so sorry for the wait! I honestly have so many ideas for this story, it's just so hard to flesh them all out. Please enjoy!

Rhys' heart beat rapidly, from excitement or surprise he wasn't sure. Mouth agape, he stared at the man before. He was wearing a _horrendous_ yellow sweater with the university logo on it, paired with jeans and a pair of sneakers.

"Hey, kiddo, I love seeing you with your mouth open, but are you just gonna stay like that all day?" Jack spoke impatiently. This remark had Rhys snapping his mouth shut. They stood, regarding each other. Rhys couldn't help but blush as he watched Jacks's eyes shamelessly sliding up and down his body. For Jack to check him so overtly showed how confident he was- or how full of himself he really was.

Steeling up the courage to speak, Rhys cleared his throat. "I-" An approaching figure had him speechless once more. Jack tilted his head in confusion, before turning to look behind himself. The confused look quickly changed to one of annoyance.

"Tim, you don't have to come running after me," Jack scoffed. "I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." Tim came to stand by Jack's side, having not yet noticed Rhys.

"I didn't run after you to check on you, I came because it's your turn to pay for lunch." Tim huffed. Arms crossed across his chest, he finally turned to look at Rhys. "Oh shit, he's hot!" Tim all but yelled before gasping and covering his now red face with his hands.

Rhys hadn't moved an inch since the arrival of the twin, eyes un-glazing at the comment. "I, uh... what is happening?"

Jack seemed oblivious to his question. He turned on Tim, face set in an angry scowl. "Hey hands off, I called dibs!"

"I haven't heard you say that!" Tim rebuffed. Rhys tried to speak again. "There's... two of you?" His question once again fell upon deaf ears.

"Well, you're hearing me say it right now! I call dibs!"

"It doesn't count now, he's fair game!"

Rather quickly, Rhys found his confusion melting into annoyance. How dare they talk about him as if he were an object, or that he wasn't right there? "Hey, guys, could you calm down for a second?" Rhys spoke, brow furrowing as he was once again annoyed by the quarreling twins.

"GUYS!" That got their attention. Jack and Tim snapped their heads towards Rhys. Tim seemed surprised by the outburst, whilst Jack looked slightly... impressed? Rhys couldn't be sure. "Could one of you explain to me what's going on? Cause frankly, I'm very lost."

Tim's face flushed red as he distanced himself from his bother, stepping towards Rhys hesitantly. "Hi, I uh... I'm Timothy, Jack's twin brother." He smiled sheepishly. Clearing his throat, Tim stuck a hand out to Rhys, eyes looking anywhere but into the boy's face.

Brow still furrowed, Rhys stuck out his metal arm, grabbing the out stretched hand.

* * *

 

Rhys couldn't even comprehend what was happening. As he shook the boys hand, Rhys stared into his eyes, trying to get some kind of hint as to what was happening. Now that he had the twin's attention, however, any confidence he had now dwindled. "O-okay, well, I'm Rhys. It's nice to meet you.' He gave Tim a shy smile, to which Tim returned in gusto.

Jack couldn't be more pissed. The other two didn't even acknowledge him as he tapped his foot on the ground, growling impatiently. It always turned out like this; He would find something pretty or worthwhile, and Tim would snatch it from him. Angel always told him that Tim didn't take from him, he usually won fair and square- because he was _nicer_ than Jack.

He couldn't believe that bullshit.

And yet here he stood, watching Rhys smiling gently at his brother, and his brother more than happy to be talking to him. Jack put on a fake smile as he walked forward, slapping a hand on both the shoulder of Rhys and Tim. His grip on Rhys' shoulder was gentle, squeezing softly. Jack's grip on his brother, however, was harsh and unforgiving.

The sudden contact had the other two looking at Jack, one with a slight blush on his face, the other with a glare that could rival Jack's own. "Okay, well, this has been fascinating! But Tim, shouldn't you be getting back to the cafe? Someone might be trying to steal our table if you're not there!" Jack said in an overly enthusiastic tone. He was completely faking, and from the look in his eyes, Tim knew it too.

"Then why don't you go, brother dearest?" Tim countered, his expression mirroring Jack's. The twins once again began to bicker, and Rhys could find his patience growing thin once more. Pulling away from the grips of the twins, Rhys sighed, hand massaging his temples.

"Why don't you both go back?" Rhys scowled as he spoke, brows dipping lower as he eyed the almost instantaneous eye contact that the twins made with each other.

"Y'know, that's not a great idea, but it's not a horrible one either, Rhysie." Jack drawled.

* * *

 

That suggestion was a mistake. A horrible, _horrible_ , mistake. Not only did both of the twins go back to the cafe, they dragged Rhys along for the ride. Even when he pulled with all of the strength in his metal arm, Rhys found he couldn't shake the grip of the two boys.

"Ow, guys, could you let go? Or even loosen up? If I'm gonna be held hostage, I at least want to be comfortable." Rhys griped. Much to his chagrin, Jack merely laughed and tightened his grip, whilst Tim gave him a slightly apologetic look.

"Kiddo, let me let you in on a little secret," Jack started. "Me and Timmy here?" He nodded towards Tim, who walked silently. "We're stubborn sons of bitches. When we want something, we get it. And you? I think you're something we both want." Both Rhys and Tim wore stunned expressions at these words.

"Jack, when you say it like that we sound like assholes!" Tim whined.

"Timmy, we are assholes. Have you just figured that out?" His twin made a noise low in his throat that Rhys could only describe as a growl.

"Okay yeah we are, but that doesn't mean I like it. And I like to believe that I can have my nice moments!" Jack gaped in mock surprise. "Are you insinuating that I can't also have my moments? I'll have you know, I make it a personal goal to not punch you in the face every time you make a stupid comment, and you would be surprised how often that is!"

Tim groaned, already firing back what Rhys was sure to be an _extremely witty_ comeback. Honestly, he had given up on listening. If he had known that he would have been literally dragged between a pair of loud, argumentative, _attractive_ twins, Rhys might have considered staying in bed all day.

It was just his luck to attract the attention of someone- No, two people- who didn't have any qualms about getting what they wanted, which seemed to be Rhys at the moment.

* * *

 

The tall man found himself sandwiched between the twins at the small cafe table. It really was a cozy cafe, but Rhys found that he couldn't really appreciate the decor as he found the twins constantly fighting for his attention.

The trio had gotten some worried glances as they had walked- well, pushed, in Rhys' case- through the door, the bell above it twinkling gently. No one seemed brave enough to intercede in their business, even with Rhys throwing well-aimed stares at some of the cafe occupants. He hoped that they got the message before he had to feign interest in one more of Jack's puns.

Someone save him.

* * *

 

She glanced at the trio nestled at the table within the dimly lit cafe. He lip curled in disgust as she watched each twin fight for the attention of the boy in between them. He was pretty, that's for sure, but not worthy of Jack's -or even Tim's, for that matter- attention.

Throwing one last glare at the group, she stuffed her hands in her pockets as she moved away from the window.

 _'Mark my words pretty boy,'_ She walked with her back straight, beauty only marred by the ugly scowl on her face. ' _You'll get what's coming to you. No one takes Jack Lawrence away from me.'_


	6. Chapter 6

His grip on the mug could not get any tighter. In his entire life, Rhys had not had a more stressful meal. Honestly, Timothy was a sweetheart, and Jack had his own endearing qualities, but the two together, both of them fighting for his attention, was just a lot.

Sipping his tea- A kind that was supposed to calm his nerves, recommended by Timothy. In Tim's own words, 'It'll make talking to Jack a little less painful.'

"...And that's when I told her to go fuck herself!" Jack laughed boisterously. Rhys twitched, eyes locked onto the clock on the wall across the room. He had spent only 15 minutes with the twins, but it felt like an eternity to him.

Jack continued to laugh, giving Rhys the opportunity to turn towards Timothy in hopes if holding an actual conversation.

"You must be a saint to have lived with this-" He jerked his thumb towards Jack, who had started bickering with another student at the next table over. "Your entire life." Rhys' tired eyes met Timothy's sympathetic gaze.

"He's a handful alright, but I love him. Not much of a thinker, though." He and Rhys laughed, finally catching Jack's attention.

"What're you two talking about, is it about how great I am?" Jack puffed up his chest, sending a half lidded gaze in Rhys' direction. Rhys felt his breath catch in his throat, face growing red. How could a self centered asshole like Jack get him riled up so easily?

Rhys caught his breath after a moment, clearing his throat as he smirked towards Jack. "No actually, we were speaking about the very opposite. Sorry to disappoint." Without missing a beat, Jack once more focused his gaze on Rhys.

"Oh kitten, I'm sure you could never disappoint _me._ " His words were laced with avidity. To accentuate his already overtly sexual statement, Jack bit his lower lip softly, mouth breaking into a large grin as he watched Rhys swallow hard, turning his gaze onto anyone but Jack.

"Alright, I think that's enough torture for one day, don't you think, _Jack?_ " Tim spoke hotly, temper growing short with his brothers shameless flirting. The twin's eyes met, unspoken words flying between them.

"Yeah yeah, whatever mom." Jack once more brushed Tim off, turning towards Rhys to indulge in another staring contest.

' _Save me_ ' Rhys silently prayed, taking another shaky gulp of tea.

* * *

Rhys shuffled through the door to his dorm, throwing off his shoes, jacket, and slumping on his bed all in one fluid motion. Rhys found himself beyond exhausted, even though it was only his first day of classes.

Oh wait- it wasn't his classes that drained him of energy- it was the twins. How could two people so different in personality could be so alike in energy and the ability to tire Rhys out?

Rhys knew for certain- those two would be the death of him.

He stayed silent and still for a long time, the alarm clock on his bedside table ticking gently. The white noise soothed him, all tension leaving his body as he was lulled to sleep, Jack the last thought on him mind before going under.

* * *

"-s. Rhys, wake up!" Rhys felt himself shaken gently, a low voice whispering into his ear. Vaughn. "Buddy, come on, you gotta eat dinner. Wake up sleeping beauty." Vaughn shook him one final time before moving across the room to his own bed. Groaning, Rhys reluctantly shifted so that he was on his side facing his roommate.

"Why..." He muttered, curling into himself. Vaughn chuckled at his childish behavior. "So I guess you're not a waking up person, huh?" Vaughn joked. He was answered only by another groan and the sound of Rhys shifting once more into a sitting position.

"Yeah... I guess you could say that..." Rhys spoke slowly, yawning every other word. It was true, the best word to describe Rhys when he first woke up was disgruntled, hence his near dependency on coffee. 'God, bless that wondrous liquid.' He thought to himself, sending a silent prayer of thanks to the god of coffee.

"Okay bro, dining hall closes in about an hour, so no real rush." Vaughn paused, watching Rhys stumble towards the bathroom. "We better hurry, though! I do NOT want to go off campus and pay for a meal." He heard Rhys make an affirmative noise before turning the shower on.

Vaughn heard Rhys humming in the shower. He smiled, crashing on his bed. Staying still for a moment, he grabbed his phone and unlocked it. "Darn..." Vaughn's heart sunk. No notifications. "I could've sworn he would've texted me by now." He sighed, shaking his head at how childish he sounded.

"Hey bro...?" Vaughn yelled to Rhys. The latter yelled in response before swearing loudly as the water scalded him. Stifling his laughter, Vaughn thought about his words before he spoke.

"Can I ask you something without you judging me?" Once more, Rhys yelled a muffled 'Yeah of course bro'. Vaughn clutched his hands nervously, brow furrowed.

"How do you know when you like someone?" There was a sudden crash from the shower as Rhys yelped in pain. Vaughn leapt from his bed, stopping short of the bathroom door. "Rhys! Are you okay?! What happened?" A moment passed with no answer from the taller boy, until Vaughn heard the shower being turned off. Moments later, Rhys limped slowly from the bathroom, towel around his waist and shaggy hair sopping against his forehead and neck.

"I'm good, for the most part." He stumbled to his bed, collapsing carefully onto it by putting his weight on his left arm. "You just surprised me, is all." Vaughn noticed that his metal arm was no longer hanging by his side, which explained his trouble balancing. "It's kinda hard to stay on my feet in the shower without my arm." He chuckled nervously, hand finding his bare shoulder.

"Anyway, you want to know how to know if you like someone?" Rhys pondered the question as Vaughn took a seat opposite to him. "Well, I guess you know you like someone when you find yourself giddy at the thought of them..." A brief image of Jack crossed Rhys' mind before he dismissed it, face tinted with red.

He cleared his throat. "I guess if you're anxious to hear from them, that's another way to know." Rhys noticed Vaughn glance at his phone, looking downtrodden when the screen didn't flash with a notification.

"Anyway, who is the lucky lady? Will I get to meet her soon?" Rhys asked in hopes of cheering Vaughn up.

"The shorter man laughed dryly, scratching the back of his head. "Actually... His name is August."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a new chapter! It's been a while since I've written, it's become a bad habit for me to write a chapter and then not touch the story again for a few weeks, so I hope I haven't annoyed anyone with the wait. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

"I, uh-" Rhys gaped for a moment. Vaughn could feel his eyes begin to well with tears as he waited for his friend's reaction. The shorter man moved to get up, disappointment clear on his face when Rhys yelped loudly. "That's awesome, dude, I'm so glad you've met someone!" Vaughn cracked a large smile, sheepishly looking towards his feet.

"It's kind of a long story... I haven't really said more than a few words to him, so I wouldn't call it 'meeting someone'." The shorter man fiddled with his glasses.

"Whatever you call it bro, it's still awesome." Rhys spoke as he moved around the room, gathering various things to take into the bathroom. "Plus, I don't know the dude, but I am _really_ digging the name." Vaughn laughed, the tension leaving his shoulders.

"He's- I can't get him out of my head! Bro, he's so cute and nice and- ugh," His face became more red with every word he said. Rhys moved into the bathroom once more, voice muffled by the door.

"He sounds amazing, bro, I can't wait to meet him." Vaughn smiled to himself, overwhelmed with joy as he thought of his crush,and of Rhys' kind words. His bliss only remained for another moment, however, as he turned his wrist to check his watch for the time. "Oh, shit- Bro? We gotta go, the dining hall closes soon!" Vaughn yelled as he rushed to get his shoes and coat on.

For the second time that night, Vaughn heard Rhys crash to the floor with a surprised yelp. Vaughn paused in his movements. "Bro?" He heard Rhys groan, receiving a muffled response. "...I'm coming!" 

* * *

The pair had made it to the dining hall with ten minutes to spare. They moved through the food area unperturbed, as even though the hall stopped selling food after seven, students were allowed to loiter in the surrounding seating area later into the night. Many of the student body took advantage of this opportunity, milling about, talking to others, and crashing at the tables and cushy chairs in the hall. There was a constant soundtrack of talking and laughter throughout the well lit hall, creating an inviting atmosphere for any who entered.

Setting their things down at a table nestled in a corner of the large hall, Rhys and Vaughn spoke of their days.

"Bro, you would not believe what I had to go through today," Rhys took a large bite of his sandwich. "My classes are good so far- my robotics professor insists that we call him Scooter, which is odd. And the twins!" Rhys spoke enthusiastically, occasionally hitting the table with his movement. Vaughn twitched, happy to see his friend so energetic, yet silently dying inside every time the table jolted and his food jostled away from him.

Vaughn continued to listen absentmindedly to Rhys, hearing him mention a kid that was in his class. The brunette took a moment to look around the hall, spotting a far too familiar face a couple tables away. Before Vaughn could look away, he locked eyes with the man, who responded rather quickly.

"Yo! Wiz kid!" The tall blonde waved enthusiastically from across the room, bounding over to their table a moment later. His face was hollowed and rugged, cheekbones prominent. The ring in his nose glinted in the light, accentuating the cool smirk he had adopted. Vaughn felt his face grow hot. "H-hi, August,"

Surprised, Rhys stared at the two, eyes large. _'So this was the infamous August?'_

_"_ I meant to text you, but my phone died and I didn't get time to charge it." August rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Vaughn, who had been starring a bit too long into the blondes face, snapped out of his stupor.

"Oh, hey! No worries! It's not like I was waiting for you to text me or anything like that, I mean, who just sits by their phone like that? Crazy people, that's who!" Vaughn was rambling, and from the darkening shade of red on his face, he knew it. "So... you're saying you didn't want me to text you?" August looked hurt, crossing his arms across his chest protectively.

Vaughn blanched. "No, no no! That's not what I was saying! I wanted very much for you to text me!" He waved his hands in front of him as he talked, antics gaining the attention of the surrounding tables.

Rhys could only watch in abject horror as the two boys struggled to communicate without sounding like doddering fools. It was cute, even though Rhys could feel himself wilting with second hand embarrassment.

During the awkward exchange, Vaughn knocked a fork off the table. He leaned over to grab it, hand touching August's as the taller man reached to retrieve it. Vaughn yelped, jumping in his chair, knocking the table rather harshly.

Rhys watched as August struggled to catch the table before it moved too much, accidentally hitting the glass of water that sat in front of Rhys. All three sat in abject horror as the water splattered on Rhys.

The trio sat still for a moment, attempting to process the storm of awkward that just occurred.

"Hey, I'm sorry, man. My bad." August apologized meekly.

Rhys reacted quickly, however, when he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. A sharp cry escaped Rhys' lips as the pain became more intense, struggling to remove his hoodie so he could see what was wrong.

"Shit!" The water had landed on his prosthetic, damaging where the intricate metal met his shoulder, which explained the pain.

"Holy shit, dude, your arm is sparking!" Vaughn stood suddenly, rushing to Rhys' side. "We gotta get you out of here before it gets worse!" Rhys nodded numbly, launching out of his chair towards the door. He heard Vaughn issue farewell towards August before running after his friend.

* * *

Rhys exited the hall in a hurry, not wanting anyone else to see his arm sparking. Vaughn trailed behind, rushing to catch up with his friends long strides. "Hey, Rhys?" Vaughn huffed. "Do you think we could slow down a bit?"Rhys didn't respond, but shortened his strides so that his friend could catch up.

"What'd you think of August?" Vaughn asked quietly after a moment. "Y'know, besides the incident part, which was totally my fault by the way!" Rhys groaned a bit. "He was nice, really. I'd just like to talk to him when my arm isn't malfunctioning." Vaughn smiled a bit, though his brow was furrowed still. The two continued down the path to the dorm building, footsteps echoing across the still campus.

"Hey bro?" Vaughn called for Rhys' attention after a moment. Rhys grunted in response. Vaughn took a deep breath, building his courage before asking the question. "Do you think he's cute? Like, are you interested? Because if you are, I get it! you are a lot more attractive than I am, and cooler, and taller..." His words trailed off. "It'd be no surprise if August chose you instead of me." Vaughn finished quietly.

Rhys stopped suddenly, causing Vaughn to trip a bit as he struggled to stop his feet. The shorter man could feel his heart pounding as he studied the serious look on his friends face.

The tension was broken by Rhys' sudden laughter. "Vaughn, you're kidding me, right? Did you not notice how August stared at you during dinner? The dude was totally infatuated with you!" Vaughn broke into a large smile, feeling a twinge of affection for his tall friend. "Rhys... Thank you." Waving his human hand at the thanks, Rhys continued to speak.

"Anyway, he's cute, but he's not my type. And there is no way that I'm cooler than you!" Vaughn looked up at his friend with a quizzical stare. "So, what would you say your type is, then?" Vaughn asked.

Laughing slightly, Rhys felt his face grow hot as an image of the twins came to mind. "I, uh- I'm not sure..." He trailed off. There was silence between them for a moment, until Rhys cleared his throat. "A-anyway, let's get back to the dorm. My arm is starting to feel like dead weight."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, you guys, I just wrote this entire chapter in such a fervor bc I am just so hype... I think I found where I want to go to college and I honestly can't contain my enthusiasm, so enjoy one of the longest chapters I've written in a while.

"Hey, bro? How ya holding up?" Vaughn huffed out the question, out of breath from keeping up (Read: Running) with his long legged friend's fast pace. Rhys knew that Vaughn was only asking out of politeness, as everything about Rhys at the moment- his uneven pace, his taut shoulders- screamed 'not alright'.

Rather than answer, Rhys gripped his shoulder tighter. When his arm had started to malfunction, he had clamped his flesh hand on the junction where flesh met metal, and had not let go since.

The boys had made it back to their room just as the final lights on Rhys' arm blinked out. It had ceased functioning correctly as soon as the boys had escaped the dining hall.

Running over to his desk, Rhys immediately went to work pulling out various tools and cans from the drawers.

His friend stood near the door, not sure what he could do in to help. As he watched his friend work on his arm, Vaughn could see the concentration on his face, the subtle scrunching of his features as spikes of pain shot through him. Though the light was dim in the room, the shorter man noticed the unshod tears gathering in the corners of his friend's mismatched eyes.

Laden with worry, Vaughn did the one thing that could possibly make Rhys feel any better within his power; He made coffee.

Rhys continued work on his arm, ignoring as his friend scuttled around the small kitchenette area of their room. he chewed on his lower lip, flesh fingers beginning to ache from his tight grip on his tools.

While under normal circumstances, Rhys could disconnect his arm with ease. Since it seemed the damage was internal, detaching it from his shoulder without tearing nerve endings or worse became a dangerous game. Instead of detaching it by pressing on the small mechanism located on the shoulder as he normally would, Rhys would have to painstakingly remove the yellow shoulder plate that hid the inner workings of his arm.

Small grunts of pain and profanity escaped his lips every few moments. Rhys had thought that he had become adept at dealing with pain after the accident, but it seemed as if his arm was still a sore spot.

Rhys began to mentally settle in for a long, painful night just as Vaughn set a steaming mug of coffee down on the desk.

* * *

It was well past midnight by the time Rhys had successfully removed his arm. By successfully, he meant that he managed to separate it from his body with out damaging too many nerve endings. Honestly, the boy was so worn out that he would have to assess for further damages when he wasn't sleep deprived.

Vaughn had fallen asleep long before the clock had struck twelve, even though he had insisted on staying up with his friend as he worked. Rhys spared a tired glance at his friend, who had dozed off sitting upright. Evidently, he had been watching Rhys work.

In the hours Rhys had spent painfully removing his arm, the boy had sweat, bled, and cried. He felt a bit queer as he stared at his arm laying on his desk. It wasn't as if he wasn't used to seeing his arm detached. This time, it just felt... different.

His movements were sluggish as tired eyes took in his surroundings. He was still in their dorm room, nothing had changed. Yet Rhys couldn't help but quietly contemplate as he sat there, breathing shallow. A few moments passed as he sat there still.

Moving to stand, pain was the last thought on Rhys' mind as he crashed to the floor in exhaustion.

* * *

Rhys came to in the early morning, the first rays of light hitting his haggard face. It took a few moments for him to process just exactly what happened last night, and why he felt like he had been run over numerous times by an 18 wheeler. "Oh god, ow..." His voice came out as nothing more than a croak. Barely conscious, the tall brunette decided to stay on the floor, knowing if he tried to rise on his own it would only end in his quick trip back onto the floor.

"Vaughn..." Rhys swallowed painfully. Calling his friends name a few more times, Rhys saw him beginning to stir.

"Ughn, I feel like absolute shit," The shorter man spoke before cracking his eyes open, slowly taking in the sight before him. Rhys, laying face first on the ground, a small pool of blood and oil accumulating around his right shoulder.

"Good morning," Rhys spoke softly, head turned in an attempt to meet Vaughn's gaze"Mind helping me bud?"

Vaughn looked owlishly for a moment before shooting straight out of his chair. "Holy shit! Rhys," Rhys sealed his eyes closed, gasps of pain escaping his lips and Vaughn struggled to get him off of the floor and onto a chair.

Tongue darting out over his chapped lips, Rhys' breathing eventually slowed enough for his to speak. "I... did as much as I could by myself." Looking around where he collapsed, the boy noticed the mixture of oil and blood and grimaced. "Sorry about... the mess."

"Rhys, I couldn't care less about the carpet right now. What I need you to tell me is what we do now." Vaughn kept his gaze trained on his friends face, hands planted on his shoulders to keep him upright in his chair.

"There's not much else I can do without going to see a professional. The damage is bad, my health is not so good right now..." Rhys shook his head. "I have an idea. I need to go see my robotics professor. What I need you to do is to go find out if the campus has a nurse, and bring them to the robotics lab."

While Rhys spoke, Vaughn had released his grip and started moving about the room, gathering various things they'd need for the day.

"Hey buddy, I need one more thing from you..." Rhys spoke weakly.

Vaughn paused in his movements. "Of course, anything."

"Could you help me get dressed?"

* * *

The wind blew gently as Rhys walked. It had taken all of his courage to leave his dorm room without his arm attached, the right sleeve of his sweater rolled up and bundled by his shoulder. It had been a long time since he had ventured outside like this, memories flooding his brain as he recalled life before his artificial limb. Intense anxiety, constant paranoia, and crippling low self esteem were just a few of the struggles he had to deal with after his accident.

With each step he took, Rhys increased his pace, unwilling to let anyone see him. Dressed in a pair of light gray joggers, a dark grey Hyperion sweater and sneakers, he almost looked like a normal college student, until one saw the missing arm. _'You are normal, don't think like that.'_ Rhys could fell his breathing become erratic as he struggled to keep the negative thoughts at bay.

As he approached the Langois Research Center, the brunette could see a small group of people hanging out by the doors. He could vaguely pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.

"...I'm just saying that it's utter bullshit that professor Nakayama forced us to come to his classroom at the asscrack of dawn for some stupid _'required remedial session'_." The last part was spoken in a mocking tone, coming from the lips of a fiery looking girl with short red hair.

"No, what is bullshit, Lilith, is that I was dragged into this mess by you two. I'm a good kid!" A broad shouldered dark skinned boy responded, arms crossed across his vast chest.

Lilith snorted. "Oh yeah right Roland, if you're such a good person then why do you hang around misfits like us?"

A third voice cut through their debate, silencing the two. "Now now, children there's no need to argue," Rhys clenched his fist a bit as her sultry voice rolled over him. While his mother told him to never judge a book by it's cover, Rhys knew this book could probably get what she wanted by just her cover alone. "Why don't you just kiss and make up?" The aforementioned 'book' dressed provocatively, brown hair falling in gentle curls around her heavily makeup-ed visage.

The chatter of the group stilled as Rhys approached. He could vaguely remember uttering a timid "Excuse me" before trying to move past the group into the building. He had just reached out for the door when it had already started to open, Looking quickly to his left, Rhys saw the broad shouldered boy from before holding the door open for him.

Rhys had turned slightly to thank the boy, who in turn smiled kindly. Before Rhys could move further into the building, however, a voice rang out to his left.

"Need a hand, pal?" The red head interjected, harsh laughter escaping her lips. Her words were laced with rancor, sneer on her face as the other girl giggled along with her.

"Lilith, it's not nice to poke fun at someone when they obviously can't poke back!" The brown haired girl spoke, cruelly laughing all the while.

"Guys, stop it. This isn't fair." Roland spoke firmly. His words only encouraged the pairs laughter. The red head- What was her name? Lily? Rhys couldn't even try to remember- stalked towards the lanky boy.

"It's not fair that Hyperion lets in basket cases like this one when I had to work my ass off!" She harshly thrust a finger into his bad shoulder, smiling slightly as Rhys gasped in pain.

Panic washed over him, arriving in staggering waves, one after another. He could feel his throat constrict and his chest tighten. Unable to speak, Rhys could only listen to the insults as his body broke down and refused to function. With each jab, both physical and verbal, aimed at his missing appendage, the intensity of panic within him swelled.

His mind screamed at him to fight back, to refuse to take the abuse, to yell or scream or- do anything! Yet Rhys found himself stuck in place.

 _'College was supposed to be a fresh start.'_ The thought ran through Rhys' mind over and over, the mantra the only thing keeping him grounded to harsh reality he found himself currently in.

Eyes squeezed shut, Rhys was jolted violently as a hand slammed down on his good shoulder. _'Oh great, now you're gonna have the shit beat out of you because you couldn't stand up for yourself,'_ As he waited for the harsh blows to meet his body, he instead felt himself being moved away from the trio. Cracking open his eyes, Rhys found himself staring at the back of his broad shoulders savior, who was wearing a rather _bright_ shade of Hyperion yellow.

Rhys could hear the laughter cut short, silence reigning for a moment. Before he could peak to see what was happening, his savior spoke.

"Lilith, Moxxi, what a _nice_ surprise." The man's sneer could be heard from his words as Rhys clutched his shoulder tightly. It may have just been his panicked mind, but he swore that voice sounded familiar...

"Now, what are you two doing here so early in the morning? I thought I could avoid your bitchiness until afternoon at the latest." The voice spoke again, Rhys struggling to recall where he had heard it before.

Once more, a small peal of laughter left Moxxi's lips. "Good morning, Jackie. Is this your new pet?" Her words stunned Rhys as his addled brain finally began putting together the puzzle pieces. _'The familiar voice, the ugly sweater, the name'_ Rhys knew who his savior was, and caught himself before he could sob in relief.

Jack reached behind himself, hand grasping for something. ' _Oh'_ Rhys felt as if he were encased in honey, movement and thoughts sluggish. ' _He wants to hold my hand.'_ He complied, slim, hand finally resting in Jack's calloused one. This seemed to placate Jack, as he gripped tightly and continued his verbal assault on the girls.

"Seriously guys, do you get off on being assholes?" The anger surrounding his words was almost palpable. Jack continued to berate them, fingers tightening around Rhys own every once in a while. Rhys merely leaned on Jack's back, numb to the pain and the words being exchanged between the girls and Jack. He could process some of the words spoken by Moxxi, such as "disabled" "burden" and "damaged".

Yet with each cynical word she siaid, Jack would combat it, saying things like "capable" "brave" and "kind". His words hit Rhys, hearts aching in a way that was totally foreign.

It wasn't long after the heated exchange started that Jack was leading Rhys into the building, parting with a final "Fuck you!" and a one fingered salute in Moxxi's direction.

The pair didn't stop moving until they were well into the building, Jack leading Rhys in no discernible direction. With each turn made, Rhys became more aware that their hands were still connected. He flushed ever so slightly, eyes trained on his moving feet.

They came to a stop in a small sitting area, deserted and quiet. His breath caught in his throat as Rhys watched Jack turn towards him. Jack's eyes were clouded with something Rhys couldn't describe, mouth set in a frown. Rhys stood as Jack observed him, his large hand deftly trailing over his damaged shoulder. A small sigh escaped the younger man, which seemed to jolt Jack out of his musings.

The older boy set his gaze on Rhys own eyes. "What happened?" The question was simple, yet Rhys found himself unable to answer. He started to cry, burying his face in his hand. Jack put his arms around Rhys, pulling him into a hug.

Jack held Rhys as his sobs turned to hiccups, rubbing his back and cooing all the while. As Rhys calmed, Jack pushed him away, hands coming to rest on Rhys' waist. The younger boy looked at Jack through his lashes

"What are you doing to me, kid..." Jack breathed out softly. As the older looked at Rhys' tear stained face, doe eyes mournfully staring, hair falling softly on his forehead, Jack felt a sudden rush of affection for the boy, followed by waves of anger for those who dared to make fun of him. "Rhys," Jack placed his lips on the younger boys cheek, satisfied by the surprised expression on Rhys' face. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO YO! I wanted to make it clear that Moxxi and Scooter are not at all related in this au, and who knows where Ellie is. Anywho, I hope y'all enjoyed!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I know it's bee a long time since my last update, and I really apologize for that! I'm making it a goal to write more often, so enjoy this chapter in the meantime!

It took a few minutes for Rhys to cry himself out, tears petering out into hiccups as he used his sleeve to wipe his face. Jack kept a hand on Rhys' lower back, tracing his fingers in small circles every few moments. Soft ticking came from a clock on the wall, marking each minute that the boys stayed in their silent embrace. They had sat down upon a small couch near the windows, overlooking the sports fields of the university.

"I'm being stupid, really," Rhys spoke quietly. "I'm sorry for freaking out like this, you don't have to dote on me anymore." Letting out a trembling breath, Rhys struggled to place his gaze anywhere other than Jack's face. Rhys had grown resilient over the years, learning to deal with the pity others gave him. Their pity fed his own negative thoughts, which in turn ran through his mind at the worst of times. A vicious cycle. He may have gotten better at pushing the feelings away, but that did not erase them entirely.

Rhys stood suddenly, shrugging Jack's hand from his back. "I should- I should get going." The brunette started toward the nearby staircase, stumbling slightly as tremors still shook his body. "I need to see my robotics professor," He turned towards Jack. "Thanks, but I don't want to take up anymore of your day." His tone was resigned, quiet, spoken from a long experience of being treated differently.

Silence reigned between the two for only a moment before Rhys continued his movement towards the door. A dumbfounded Jack sat still in place, confused at the sudden shift of mood. What could he have done to tip Rhys over the edge like this?

"Hey, where're you going?" Jack stood and followed after him, his question going unanswered. "Seriously, Rhysie, this isn't funny!"

"Yeah, you're right. It isn't funny! None of this is funny!" Rhys spun quickly, losing his balance for a moment before planting his feet. "Why are you doing this? Why are you saying these things to me? Defending me?" For the what felt like the tenth time that day, Rhys felt tears begin to slide down his face. He let the tears fall briefly before wiping at them angrily with his damp sleeve. "Why waste your time on me? Fuck, Jack, you don't even know me!" His eyes widened as the words slipped past his lips, the surprise in his eyes not matching the malice of his voice. Rhys kept his eyes on Jack's a second more before turning once more and continuing his way towards the stairs.

He sat, stunned and without words for possibly one of the first times in his life. The words felt like a slap across the face for Jack. It was true, he didn't know Rhys. While they had only had a few conversations, the older boy actually wanted to invest himself in a relationship with Rhys. That fact alone scared Jack, who tried to keep his emotional ties limited. "I want to get to know you." The words were spoken haltingly, as if they were painful for Jack to say.

"Please, I know I may be... difficult," At this, Jack let go a frustrated sigh. "But won't you give me a chance to be there for you?" Giving the barest of glances over his shoulder, Rhys locked eyes with Jack once more. The eye contact felt as if an invitation to Jack to pursue, an invitation he wouldn't let slip away. Hastening his strides, Jack caught up with the younger boy, hand reaching out to his shoulder once more.

Before Jack could lay a finger on him, Rhys turned his head sharply towards the brunette, eyes fierce. The look alone was enough to pause the older man's movement, a moment of tension following suit.

"Rhys, can I at least walk with you?" The brunette paused, caught unaware by the lack of nickname, and the forlorn tone used by the older man. Rhys gave a small nod, his face guarded.

Rhys continued his movement, now with Jack walking alongside him.

It was difficult for Rhys to let someone he just met to see this side of him. He appreciated the help and support Jack offered, but the feeling that he could be a burden on the older boy made him want to run for the hills.

As they made their way through the building to see Scooter, Jack watched the younger boy closely. He noticed how the young mans hand hand snaked up to his damaged shoulder, clutching the junction on skin and metal tightly. He saw the concentration on his face, and saw the dark circles under his eyes, betraying how tiring and taxing this situation must have been before Jack entered the picture.

"So... are you going to tell me what happened?" Jack probed, his voice uncharacteristically soft. Rhys chewed his bottom lip for a moment, seemingly mulling the question over. The small laugh that bubbled out of Rhys' mouth startled the pair, Rhys' hand moving from shoulder to mouth in an attempt to cage the hysterical laughter now pouring out of him.

"It wasn't even a big accident or anything dramatic," Rhys had calmed the hysterics down to get the words out. "All that happened was my roommate's crush spilled water on me because the two are so awkward they can't function." The explanation came out in a blur, Rhys seeming to find humor in the situation after hours of emotional instability.

"I'm sorry, you must think I'm crazy, snapping between moods like this." His hand found it's way back to his shoulder. Rhys slid his eyes towards Jack, surprised to find the older man smiling softly at him.

"Crazy, huh?" Jack coaxed his fingers between Rhys clenched hand and his shoulder, bringing the younger boys arm down by their sides to hang alongside his own. Rhys swallowed, unsure of the situation and Jack's reaction. He let Jack take his hand, knowing that resisting would only serve to drive the older boy away. Their eyes met as they stood facing each other.

"I'm not saying you're not totally batshit, but you'll have to give me time to come to my own conclusions." Jack chuckled, tugging Rhys gently down the hall. "Now come on, let's go get you checked out."

~~~~~~~~

"All righ' man, you're good to go! Damage was pretty extensive, you'll need to see a doctor probly'." Scooter wiped his oil covered hands with an equally oil covered cloth, grimacing slightly in Rhys' direction. The boy was shrugging his shirt back on, turning to quietly thank the nurse that Vaughn had brought to help.

"Now, there is a sligh' hiccup, kid." Scooter put down the cloth, placing his hands into his pockets. "You're... probably gonna have to go without the arm for a while." Rhys paused at the professors words, looking up at Scooter with a tight lipped smile.

"Won't be the first time I'm without an arm. Thank you, Scooter. I really appreciate the help."

~~~~~~~~

Rhys closed the door quietly behind him, turning to face Vaughn and Jack, who had been forced to wait in the hallway. Though they said no words, their facial expressions were enough for Rhys to answer.

"I'm fine, there's no extreme damage. I'm not allowed to wear my arm until I get it inspected by a professional." His friends were kind enough to not offer condolences, and Rhys reminded himself to thank them when he was in the right state of mind.

"Rhys I'll help with anything you need, anytime." Vaughn promised. The shorter man checked his watch, yelping when he saw time time. "Okay, I have lecture to get to, but I swear, I'll be there for you any other time!" He paused a moment, then bounded forward to give his tall friend a hug, spinning and running in the other direction before the other two boys could blink.

Rhys smiled and waved in the direction of his retreating friend, turning finally to face Jack, only to find Jack watching him closely. Letting out a small sigh, Rhys felt his eyes tearing up, knowing that at this point he was dehydrated. He walked into Jack's chest, enjoying the feeling of the laughter moving through his broad chest. Jack snaked his arms around the younger mans frame, relishing in the fact that while the kid was tall, Jack still had the height over him to lay his face against Rhys' hair.

"Hey, kiddo."

And God dammit if Rhys didn't blame the rushing of his heart on the dehydration.


	10. Chapter 10

His pencil tapped against the desk, keeping time to the music softly playing in the dorm. It had been a few days since his checkup with Scooter, and Rhys surprisingly found himself doing better without his artificial arm than he thought he would. Sure, it was a challenge to go back to having only the one, but Rhys had dealt with it before. He could deal.

He still lost his balance in the shower more than he would like to admit, though.

His parents had been worried sick when he told them.

_"Rhys, pack a bag! Your father and I will be there tomorrow morning to pick you up!"_

It had taken some cajoling, and the promise to call home more often, but Rhys had convinced his parents not to pull him out of school. That was his resolve; He wouldn't let an accident like this control his life. Things were different than when he lost his arm and eye in the car accident, and Rhys was determined to learn to live in harmony with his disability.

Letting out a sigh, the young man focused his attention back to the homework on his desk, enjoying the smell of fresh coffee, and the calming pattern of rain against the window.

* * *

It was raining. Of course it was! The one day he had left his umbrella back in the dorm. Vaughn liked to say that he was a prepared person, but today was not his lucky day.

It had started on a bad note. His alarm, usually set for 6:30 AM sharp, had decided to not go off. The brunette liked to rise with the sun, to work out early, shower, and eat before his classes. Instead of his usual routine, Vaughn had woken two minutes before his first class of the day, leaving little time to throw clothing on, grab his backpack, and rush to class.

Wednesdays were his heavy days, meaning that Vaughn had classes back to back from 9 AM to 2 PM. And now it was raining! Vaughn let out a frustrated growl, hands shoved into his pockets. Usually he would just run through the rain, if not for the fact that he was on the opposite side of campus from his dorm, and that he had his (very expensive) laptop stored in his (absolutely not waterproof) backpack.

So, he leaned, resting outside underneath the overhang of the mathematics building.

His thoughts wandered as he waited. He had a paper to write when he got to the room, and he still had to workout. He wondered what whether he would have time to go to the dining hall to get dinner. Maybe he would steal one of Rhys' protein bars?

"Hey, Vaughn!" The shorter man was roused from his musings.

"O-oh, hey August!" Vaughn grimaced as his voice cracked. Of course he would run into his crush on today of all days, when he looked anxious and exhausted and thrown together. Of course! It was official, the universe hated him.

The taller man made a beeline to where Vaughn had been leaning against the wall, large smile illuminating his face. "How are you? We haven't spoken in a while!" Vaughn managed a small smile.

"I've been okay, how about you?" August's smile wavered, eyebrows dipping slightly.

"Just okay?" He asked tentatively. Vaughn shuffled his feet.

"It's just been kind of an off day." Vaughn answered honestly. He didn't have the motivation to put up a cheery front today. August's eyebrows dipper further still.

"Why're you standing here?" Vaughn gave a little laugh.

"I forgot my umbrella, and I can't really walk back to my dorm cause," Vaughn gestured towards his backpack. August seemed to understand. Silence reigned between the two for a moment, before the blonde's face lit up, large smile once more in place. He whipped his own pack off of his back, rummaging in it before withdrawing his hand. He held a small umbrella, rainbow polka dot pattern clashing against his otherwise black attire.

"You can share my umbrella! It's big enough for the both of us!" August seemed proud of himself, eyes looking into Vaughn's hopefully. Vaughn's face, though already dusted red, darkened considerably.

"I... Are you sure?" He asked tentatively.

"Well, yeah, of course! You're walking towards the dorms, right?" August asked, unwrapping the umbrella and opening it. The shorter man nodded. "Alright, lets go!" August pulled Vaughn forward so that he was flush against his side. Vaughn knew his face must be flushed enough to rival a tomato.

The taller boy had been right; the umbrella was big enough for two, but only if they stuck close together. At least, that is what the two boys used as their excuse.

And so they walked, elbows rubbing, and faces red.

* * *

Rhys was proud of his progress. He had been working uninterrupted for the past hour, and had finished his math homework, read a few chapters ahead in his writing class, and had gotten distracted by Twitter twice. Maybe three times.

The rain had continued, thunder rumbling through the grey sky. The brunette took a moment to stretch before pulling out his binder for his robotics class. He had been putting off that work.

Scooter had assigned homework to sketch out ideas for their upcoming project. It was up to each of then what they wanted to design, as they would be spending the entire semester working on it. Rhys had been looking forward to this project, already had a few ideas in mind. There was only one snag.

He couldn't sketch with just the one arm. At least, he didn't think he could. Honestly, he could probably email Scooter to be given extra time on the assignment, but Rhys' stubborn pride wouldn't allow him. If he was going to thrive, he didn't want any special treatment.

He sighed, turning his eyes toward his phone, a text from Jack waiting for him.

_< Hey kiddo, how's your day? :)  >_

Rhys smiled, typing a reply. Of course Jack used emoticons.

_> It's been good, I've gotten most of my homework done!  <_

The door to the dorm opened, Rhys looking up to catch a very giddy Vaughn sidling in. The shorter man closed the door, turning to lean against it. Rhys laughed ad shook his head. "I'm guessing your day got better?"

Vaughn sighed happily, smile blooming across his face. "I ran into August, and... Wow, he's great..." He sighed once more, walking to his bed to lay down. Rhys giggled.

"Happy for you, bro. When's the wedding?" The taller boy teased, receiving a pillow to the face from his roommate. Shaking his head once more, Rhys turned back to his phone, more than a little happy to see Jack had responded.

_< It can't have been that good, I wasn't there! ;))  >_

Rhys laughed aloud at that.

_< Wanna take a break from your homework to grab a coffee with me? :^)))  >_

The brunette turned to the empty coffee mug on his desk, thinking that is heart might stop in protest if he consumed any more caffeine. Still, one ore cup wouldn't hurt, and he had been sitting at his desk for far too long. He had almost sold himself on the idea of meeting up with Jack, when an idea came to mind.

_> Sure! Weird question tho, can you draw?  <_


End file.
